Role of urban parks in supporting bat communities under accelerating urbanization

Authors

  • Mohammed Khalid Jamal Al-Janabi Çankırı Karatekin University, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Wildlife Department https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0860-512X
  • Okan Urker Oregon State University, College of Forestry, Department of Forest Ecosystems & Society, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5103-7757
  • Tarkan Yorulmaz Çankırı Karatekin University, Wildlife Research and Application Center, 18100, Çankırı/Turkey https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9033-7162

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17386637

Keywords:

Ankara, urban bats, echolocation, synurbization, wildlife

Abstract

Rapid urbanization has intensified the need to preserve urban green spaces for maintaining biodiversity. However, limited research has investigated the impact of urban green spaces on bat communities amid accelerating urbanization. Therefore, this study assessed the role of urban parks in supporting bat communities by providing conditions that mimic their natural habitats. By using manual detectors, we recorded the activity of nine distinct bat species in three different urban parks according to size, year of establishment and blue-green-brown area ratios in Ankara, TURKEY, from May to November 2022. Despite high levels of light, noise, and human traffic, which reduced bat activity, no significant differences were observed in bat community composition or annual biological activity among these parks. These findings underscore the critical role of urban parks as wildlife refuges in metropolises, suggesting that enhanced park management substantially improved urban biodiversity, particularly for bats. This study emphasizes the need for ongoing enhancements of urban park management strategies to better support local wildlife.

Author Biography

Mohammed Khalid Jamal Al-Janabi, Çankırı Karatekin University, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Wildlife Department

Mohammed Khalid Jamal Al-Janabi is a graduate student in the Department of Wildlife at Çankırı Karatekin University, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences.  His research focuses on urban ecology, bat conservation, and the impacts of urbanization on biodiversity.

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Published

2025-10-20

How to Cite

Al-Janabi, M. K. J., Urker, O., & Yorulmaz, T. (2025). Role of urban parks in supporting bat communities under accelerating urbanization. Journal of Wildlife and Biodiversity, 9(3), 262–277. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17386637

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 3 (2025): Journal of Wildlife and Biodiversity

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Original Article

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